A lot of teenagers are thinking of getting a tattoo in the future. Some may have already fulfilled their dream, but others have failed or are still struggling to do so because of many reasons (i.e. the hassle, the pain, the expense, or most commonly the pending permission of parents). Although, there is a way you can permanently ink your skin without having to go to an actual tattoo parlour and/or without your parents knowing. It’s called Stick And Poke.

The gist of stick and poke tattoos is basically poking [or piercing] your skin with a needle and some tattoo ink. It sounds quite simple but you definitely need some practice to perfect this art form. These kinds of tattoos are also called jailhouse tattoos since these methods are what prisoners have been using for ages, but stick and poke is currently being modernised and utilised by a vast number of youths in their homes as well as among their friends.

Yes, stick and poke tattoos look and sound cool but you still need to weigh out the pro’s and con’s. Here is what I have come up with so far:

PROS

You are in total control of how you want your tattoo to look likeIt is cheaper than getting a tattoo in a parlour (especially because bigger tattoos cost more)You can do it in the comfort of your own homeYou can do it in secret (in other words, your parents are more likely to not know about it)You can do it to/with your friends (stick and poke party!)You can do it anytime and anywhereIt’s cooler to say that you tattooed yourself

CONSIt is said to be more painfulIt is a slower processGetting those refined straight lines and edges requires a whole lot of practiceIf the needle isn’t properly sterilised and if the ink you are using is unsafe for your skin, there is a higher chance of getting an infectionIt is said to have higher health risks